


DOLL

by yui_minatsuki



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Gender or Sex Swap, Hurt/Comfort, InaSure Anthology, M/M, Magical Realism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-22 21:57:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9627203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yui_minatsuki/pseuds/yui_minatsuki
Summary: Slaine needed money to free her father and tried to apply for a job in Inaho’s antique store.(Inaho x Fem!Slaine) (Kind-of magical medieval era Alternate Universe)For InaSure Anthologyhttp://orangebat-sanctuary.com/





	

**Author's Note:**

> Made for Aldnoah Zero Anthology Book 1 ;)  
> Rosiel-san, thank you very much for the book and everything xD xD xD

 

The ad said, the store needed a person or a group of persons who were willing to do _anything_ for money--no special ability or legal citizenship required. And he/she must not sue the shop owner if anything happened--even if it included the loss of limbs...or lives. Details would be told later. 

......no sane person would come for that kind of blatantly suspicious ad. Even though it was written beautifully and placed at the door of a looking-expensives antique shop at the busy street of Rhoden streets. Some school boys in their brown vest and plaid trousers laughed at it. Others were merely interested with pretty unique things that were displayed there. A woman wearing a frilly white ruffle gown looked at an engraved hand mirror displayed, but she didn't get in and continue walking as a man in dark green suit pulling her away. No one took the ad seriously. 

......but here Slaine was, standing in front of the old wooden door of that antique shop, intending to apply for the job--whatever it might be. 

'Cause she needed money, of course. 

She checked her black--but turned a bit gray--shirt and trousers. They were old clothes, but clean and not a single wrinkle spotted. She checked her appearance. Looked like she hadn't cut her hair short enough;  it couldn't be helped since she cut it by herself; but still she looked like a 22 years old young man, not a little woman (hopefully). She really wished no one in this city would recognize her--especially this store owner. 

She took a deep breath, and stepped in. 

The small bell that was hung on the doorsill rang. The interior of the shop was...how to say it... It was cramped, but it was organized...and....and.... 

.....inhuman...... 

Slaine couldn't understand why she felt like that, but it was....yeah, kinda eerie. Why? Perhaps because she hadn't seen anyone? Where was the shop owner? Or, where's the other shopkeeper? Hadn't it got--even one--yet? 

"Is there anything that I can help you with?"

Slaine jumped. Astonished. She knocked a white vase from the stand beside her. Luckily she caught it right before it fell down. Checking the porcelain--no crack--she released her breath that she didn't realize she was holding, and looked up. 

A young man, around 26....or younger? She couldn't guess. He dressed in white tuxedo. He had porcelain skin, dark brown hair and burgundy eyes that were.....were.... 

......like a doll’s....? 

That 'person' flatly stated. "A bit clumsy but has a quick response. Not too bad." He knelt and looked at Slaine in the eyes. There was a long silence as all he did was staring. Just. Staring. Intently. 

"Is there anything that I can help you?" He finally asked in a low tone, inched closer as if he wanted to catch even a minimum change of her movement. 

Slaine tried not to look at him, but she couldn't; she felt she ever met those eyes before...but when? Perhaps it's just her feeling--she couldn't properly remember with that store owner being too close like this. Uh.... his eyes were like doll's, so perhaps she'd felt familiar to him because of it. "Uh.. I... I saw your ad out there and...and... "

"Do you really need money that much that you are willing to do anything?"

Slaine gulped, and nodded without a single doubt. 

"I see. You aren't lying." The owner of the burgundy eyes tilted his head, smiled, and blinked once, other than that he didn't show any expression. "You can start working today. Follow me." He stood up and walked between the row of wooden cupboards which held many kinds of intricate ceramics works and colored glass music boxes and twinkling silver dishes. His steps were light, and even, and almost unheard. 

Slaine couldn't shake the feeling that that shop owner was a living mannequin! But, oh well... She put the white ceramic back on its stand carefully and followed him through the wooden door to the room right behind the front store. 

It was a room that's filled with dolls: Wooden dolls. Porcelain dolls. Marionettes. Fluffs. All kinds. Neatly sat in the racks or inside the glass cupboard. Some sat in the window sills and sofas. Some were sprawled on the floor, but still. They were spotlessly clean. Slaine felt her dusty boots were out of place, so she removed them and walked barefoot, hugging her shoes, following the shop owner who had already opened the glass door to a dim aisle. 

They both walked along that corridor for some time. Slaine counted she had passed through four rooms left and right. 

_'Just how many rooms this store has? It doesn't look this big from the outside.'_ Slaine thought as she passed the room that--shown from the small glass window--was filled with gears, tanks and pipes....Her eyes caught a sight of bright-orange-things...But she had no time to look and think about it. 

The shop owner turn left and opened the key to a bright room. That six-big-window room was filled with dresses--on mannequin, folded neatly, stacked on the floor, hanging in displays--all kind. There were kimonos, frilly gowns, tuxedos, fluffy costumes, etc. Slaine stared in awe. 

"Choose one and wear it for today."

Slaine squealed a bit, almost dropping her shoes. That shop owner suddenly talked right beside her! 

"Uh.... Um.... Is it up to me?"

"....as long as you choose it right. After that, throw away the clothes that you're wearing now. They are horrible. You shall just leave them on the trash bin."

"....easy for you to say... " Slaine grumbled; she only had two sets of clothes--while she wore this one the other one was being washed. 

She moved to choose, but the eyes of the shop owner observed her closely--following even the small details of her movement. It was creepy! She grabbed at one knee-length big trousers and white short-sleeves baggy shirt and showed it to him. 

"Those are not looking good together. Your taste is awful."

Red-faced, brows furrowed, Slaine folded those clothes and walked again. She was confused of what will 'look good' for a girl-playing-to-be boy like her. Long time she was just staring at the row and row of clothes...until she stumbled upon a frilly bloody-red dress with bat ornament on its big stripe-white ribbon on the chest. 

That bat reminded her of his father. _'It's been three years... '_ She stared at it, wishing that he would be just fine... 

"I see. You like it. Take it then."

"Wh.. What? " Slaine took a step away from the brunet who was looking at him intently _right beside her_ (since when?). "But... But I... "

"You like it, right?" The brunet took that red dress from the mannequin and shoved it to her hands. "My name is Kaizuka Inaho. Nice to meet you, Bat."

"B..Bat ?!?? I'm... I'm not Bat! My name is--"  She stopped herself and looked away, "...my name is.... Gull. Just... Gull...and I'm a boy!" She carefully looked at the store owner, "....you....don't mind with....just that...right?"

Inaho tilted his head, looking intently at Slaine. "....you are......." He stopped himself, and smirked, "Interesting." He said with tone that revealed amusement. "Really interesting."

Slaine didn't know how to reply to his....compliment (?). Seriously everything in this store was 1000% creepy, particularly its owner, Slaine didn't like him at all but.... But... 

She did also think that the store owner possessed some nostalgic aura... Why? 

"What are you waiting for? Put that clothes on." 

"H...Huh?" Slaine realized she had been staring off without doing anything but to stare at him, holding the dress. The store owner was looking at her. Intently. 

"But.... But.... like I've just said, there's no way I should wear this girly dress as I'm a boy--"

"You lied."  

Slaine froze. How could he knew? Did he...did he already recognize who she really was? If it was, then she had to run! 

But all her thinking was stopped abruptly as Inaho put his hand on Slaine's chest, uttering, "boy doesn't have this kind of anatomy, these are--"

A punch landed on his face. 

* * * 

His left eye was swollen and his nose was bleeding. Good. At least he looked a bit like human now. Slaine thought as she tended to Inaho's wound. She'd rather run away, really, but that brunet had managed to lock the door of the dress room, and stated that she should work in this shop or else she would need to work _thousand years_ in another place before she could pay the fine of having punched him in the face. 

"I don't care even if I couldn't make it! I'll just work and do whatever I can. I don't need to work with someone like you." 

".....but here you are on my sofa, and are tending to my wound. From now on, let's do our best together, Slaine Saazbaum Troyard."

"Sh... Shut up!" She angrily closed the first-aid box--flushed. Well, if this store owner was willing to accept her despite knowing her identity, why not? Still... "Don't....Don't call me with that name--"

"No one can hear us here. But if you insist, I'll call you Bat." Inaho put his head on Slaine's lap. "My head is a bit dizzy. Your punch was good, Bat."

"~~~~~~~" Slaine didn't know what to say. Really. This shop owner was insufferable! But, yeah, he's indeed the shop owner and she needed the job. How _awesome_.

"....I'm sorry for what has happened to your father."

Slaine went rigid, "....how could you know....? Do you come from the Land of the Red Sand?"

"No. I come from the Land of the Rising Sun, actually, but I'm a merchant; I've travelled everywhere."

"Hm."

"Why do you need money that much? I need to know this information as the measurement of how far you will be motivated to work for me."

 _'In other words to list all ammunition to make me do anything for him. Huh. Fine. Whatever.'_ ".....I need to pay a certain amount.... For my father's freedom."

"Your _father_.....The vampire count who was caught by the Red Sand Kingdom....I don't think they will free him just for money."

"Just shut up I won't tell you more than this."

A stretching silence. Slaine looked aside, to the pile of the red dress, gazing at its bat ornament. Inaho was staring at her, observing, thinking... 

Then he decided to say, "Three years ago...I was happen to sold Little Orange Soldiers to the emperor of Red Sand. They were machines; your Count Saazbaum could do little to harm them."

"That...those were _ugly colored_ things that captured my father! How dare you!"

"As I said, I am a merchant. I sell things for living. Besides... " Inaho heartlessly poked at the bat ornament of the red dress. "Your father is the vampire Count Saazbaum;  he has drunk blood and drained lives of many people. I really can't comprehend why a human like you call him 'father' and idolizes him so much." He tilted his head, staring intently at Slaine. "And if the battle record is true, you had let my Orange Soldiers went through the sewer although you were capable of drowning and destroying them at that time. Your father was caught as the result, and now you want to pay for his freedom. Such inconsistency. It's intriguing though. Why?"

Slaine felt it was hard to breathe properly.

......why....? 

.......because he's the only one whom she could call 'father'. 

Slaine hugged the bat ornament, pushed Inaho until he fell hard on the floor, broke the window, and ran away. She wished she could be far far away from that heartless shop owner. 

Running along the reddish oak tree and brownish maple...her thought travelled through memories--remembering her vampire count father...

He understood her, and she understood him. 

He was a human before, but he had done many forbidden experiments and changed himself into a vampire to gain immortality. Yes. He would need a long life to unveil the secret of life and death. He did all of that in hope that he could revive his dear Orlane who had died hundred years ago. 

Count Saazbaum befriended her father, Dr. Troyard, for the experiment. Dr. Troyard died in an accident. Not that she care actually, since he had never tried to find her when she had gotten separated and lost when she was little, but Count Saazbaum looked for her and took her under his protection. The Count said he couldn't understand his friend's thought of why he left his daughter; he didn't think it's right; so he looked for and adopted her after his death. Besides... 

He was reminded how it felt to be human when he took care of her. 

He made a good father, indeed. 

But Slaine also knew that he, very much, was a vampire. On one of his monstrous thirst he could finished off an entire village. That was.... 

.....but still. After all he had done. He was her father. Her scientist human father hardly ever cared for her. But this vampire was.... 

She stumbled upon the root of a big tree. She never knew this place had some kind of forest-like garden inside. Was it really a small building on the Rhoden street? It was crazily big! 

Before she got up, a hand pointed a gun to her. It was that store owner. He stared at her; his face was as expressionless as a doll. 

She sarcastically smiled. She bitterly thought that, _a living doll_ like him would never understood--no use to talk about feelings to him. And she was really sure that he hated her--the human daughter of the vampire count. 

She pointed at her forehead. 

Kaizuka Inaho was quiet for a while. He then stepped closer, grabbed Slaine cheeks, and kissed her between her eyes. 

"What...?" Fully flushed, Slaine forced the shop owner away. His kiss tasted _human_. "What are you doing? Are you crazy?"

"I'm taking the fine of strolling in my secret garden without my permission." He didn't show that it was a big deal, at all. "Let's go. You are starting to work today. Change your dress and help me deliver Mr.Zurek's good." He walked away, assuming that Slaine would follow him like a good, obedient, puppy. 

Slaine hated him. She deeply _hated_ him. But then, what could she do about it? 

Yeah. She needed the job. Whatever it might be. However odd the employer was. 

She got up and followed him. 

* * *

Slaine was relieved that she didn't have to wear that frilly red dress.... she was wearing black suit now--posing as a puppet butler. 

Why she should act as a living doll? She didn't know, and Inaho didn't answer to her question about that. He only said that her job was all depended on how well she acted as a wireless marionette. So she did that, although she really couldn't understand why. 

Her acting skill was wonderful; since she'd gotten used to do it to survive in this harsh world. Entering the red-stoned castle... People there were all looking at her: from the foot guard until the Count Zurek himself. 

"Look at that...."

"What a marvelous porcelain doll....and he’s moving!"

"I bet he is one of Mr.Kaizuka's newest inventions.... "

"......he made that machine so beautifully.... "

".....how much he costs.... I wanna have him!"

Slaine wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. But she kept her soulless smile and limited-movement. Yes. She was a doll now--a walking mannequin that displayed the rainbow crystal for Count Zurek in front of all the people in this castle. 

Now after the crystal had been given, she had to wait in the garden--while Inaho had a lunch with the count and his court. That brunet was really cruel... She hadn't eaten anything since yesterday! Still, it couldn’t be helped. She was a doll now and a doll didn’t eat. She had to endure hunger for the money!

* * *

In the castle dining room…

"I never thought that you would allow... _it_....to work with you." The Count of the Land of Music and Book, Zuurek, said in a low voice, careful as not to be heard by any other people except the merchant. "You know who I mean... Your _doll_."

"I'm glad you realize it. I'm here to show _it_ to you. I employ anyone who is willing to work hard. And _it_ fulfills my criteria." Inaho flatly answered. 

"I see... " Zurek sliced his steak and gulped it. "After you truly know about _that_ you still take _it_ under your wing. That's you, indeed. Have you told _it_ about _that_?"

"......I won't let _it_ know."

"....'cause if _it_ knows, _it_ won't work for you...?"

"Exactly. And I hope you would respect my selfish wish. I want _it_ to be by my side." Inaho drank his wine. 

"I see... I'll keep quiet."

"You have my thanks."

"It's me who shall thank you for the crystal."

Inaho nodded without saying anything as both of them stood, and shook hands. 

* * *

Slaine kept her 'professional-doll' composure although the people around her, while she was waiting at the garden without Inaho around, were not that really nice. 

They snickered, whispered, commenting about her inhuman composure--how they wished to own 'that doll' and 'play on the bed' with it etc. She tried not to care. She remembered people had done things far than that when they knew she was Slaine Troyard, the adoptive human daughter of a fallen Count vampire. Almost gang-raped. Nearly killed. Chased by an entire village with the people carrying stones... Days of hunger in the forest....  Groups of people hunted her, trying to catch her...perhaps to be sold as sex slave or pet? She didn't want to imagine further. 

She had worked hard to conceal her identity and worked hard to save money secretly. Now Inaho displayed her throughout the palace like this... Wouldn't it be dangerous for him too if only others knew--particularly the count of the land he was living in--her true identity? She really didn't know what's going on in his head... 

She was relieved when she saw Inaho walked to her. That brunet was expressionless, more like a doll than human. But she felt safer when he was near, and he was all she had now. 

_'No. Not in a romantic way--he is the shop owner and I'm his employee. That's all! '_ Slaine hastily thought as she followed him wordlessly to the stable. 

They got in the carriage that had a mechanical six-legged horse pulling it. It was Inaho's. Slaine observed that the brunet was really good in making that kind of things aside that he was a merchant. 

When they had been far from the castle, Inaho shoved an apple to Slaine's hands.

"This is... "

"Eat."

".....??"

"You haven't eaten at all since you came into my store."

Well, yeah, it's true. Still, what's with this sudden gift? Well... since she was hungry... She didn't question it further. 

She ate it. It’s delicious, but she really didn't like how the brunet was observing her every movement now. That kinda drained the taste away.... 

".....let's pass you on as a doll... "

".....why?" _'It is you who look so convincing as a doll, flat expression and everything.'_ She thought. 

"......that way I can make you wear pretty clothes;  for sure that will increase my sales. Moreover, people can't disturb you since they will know you as my delicate property." He put another apple in Slaine's hand. "I'll make them pay an obnoxiously high fine if they ever touch you."

 _'Ah....he only thinks about money... '_ Slaine bitterly thought. "Do as you wish." She airily said and ate her second apple--chose not to care much about how Inaho was watching her as if she was some kind of interesting specimens. 

So long as he didn't hurt her, it's fine... 

* * *

And so the masquerade had been set. 

Slaine dressed up and acted like a doll, every day, and Inaho didn't give her any day off. 

There were times when she was wearing tuxedo, or blue shirt, or red military uniform. There were also times when she was wearing frilly lolita gown or fluffy costumes. It all depended on what Inaho pointed at in the dress room every morning. 

.....and Inaho made her clean the store, whenever that store owner felt like her to do it _, in those costumes_. Imagine how difficult it could be to clean while wearing a delicate dress! _And she's the one who had to wash the dirty clothes, plus Inaho's dirty ones too._  Just imagine the mountain of fabric.... 

But Slaine needed money. So she did her job without any protest, no matter whether actually she liked it or not......and no matter how strange things happening inside the household, she didn't ask much questions... 

Such as, sometimes a heavy rain fell on the garden while on the street the sun shone bright. Another example: the store was inhumanly clean when she first came there. But when she started to get the responsibility to clean it...she realized that it took a whole one day just to clean one room of the store. How could the store owner clean his entire house before he got her as his only one versatile worker? 

Was Inaho a sorcerer? But when Slaine cleaned up his bedroom she didn't find anything that looked like related to magic. And she never saw him waving a wand. Besides, wizard in this era was remained a few, and they choose to live in seclusion like in a mountain or forest or in the middle of cemetery... So perhaps no... 

But then, how could those rooms be so clean back then? Machine? But if so, why he didn't use the machine again? 

And the mystery was only going deeper. 

One afternoon, after Slaine failed (again) to clean the front room thoroughly. Inaho stared at a speck of dust inside the displayed crystal cup, and monotonously said, "you forgot to clean this one too."

"....I'm truly sorry about that..."

"It's okay. It felt more human this way. I like it." 

"Hhhuh?? "

"Lately the customer who comes is also a commoner. That's nice."

Slaine seriously thought that Inaho spoke same words but entirely different language to her. 

Inaho also made her to sleep in that household. Or to be more exact, on one of the sofa in the dress room, in a costume he prepared every night. Forget holiday--it seemed like she had to work there 24 hours a day--even when she was sleeping;  and her job was to be his doll. Oh wait, but he _ordered_ her to act as human as she usually be when there's no customer around, so.... Really, Slaine couldn't understand Inaho's way of thinking! 

She was not allowed at all to step out of the store without his permission, and she very rarely ever went outside--only when Inaho wanted to deliver good together with her. Although, she had to admit that she was being safer in the store, more than when she had to run and hide from people who hated her. 

But it was a big problem when she had to deliver gold coins to the witch who had promised of giving her father's freedom. 

"Where is the address of place you're going to? What is your purpose?" Inaho asked without raising his head from the accounting he did on his big black book in his wooden room at the middle of the garden. 

_’This town’s cemetary. To meet Femianne.’_ There’s the answer but how could Slaine say that? She had to keep that a secret! "It's..... Um.... I can't tell you but I have to go…."

"I refuse to accept such a shady reason. Answer to my question honestly."

 _'He is playing difficult. Is the sale going down so much that his mood is bad now? But he said there's more customers around recently...I don't understand him!'_ Slaine took a deep breath, and said as politely as she could for now, "I am very sorry, Master, but I'm afraid I can't answer those questions. I can only say that I'll be back when morning comes."

"Then my answer is no. Get back to your room and sleep well. Good night."

"I understand. I apologize for intruding. Good night." Slaine bow down and closed the door. 

She decided she would go out secretly. 

Yeah, although.... 

The dress she was using now was really bothering her; first, she wore two layers of undergarments. Then, she wore frilly white gown with super ruffle skirt with layered upper sleeves. That dress had many flower ornaments attached, big white ribbon on the chest and two long pearly chains on her right and left waist. And she wore corset! And she wore big bright red ribbon on her hair. And she could not wear all those things by herself! She should not change her clothes if she didn't want him to know, so her biggest challenge would be: not to make that dress dirty. Well, she's kinda experienced in moving carefully in a delicate dress thanks to Inaho's order. 

If that bad mood store owner knew that she disobeyed him, big possibility he would fire her. 

But the worst case Slaine feared was that Inaho new the sorcerer who was helping her and told the Red Sand or the authorities of this land about it. There would be no chance for her to meet her father again. She didn't want that to happen. 

Still.... She had to go tonight, at the full moon of the 13th month, to meet the witch of the death fists, Femianne. That witch had agreed to free Saazbaum if Slaine gave her a certain amount. She couldn't pay it all now;  but she had to give money to her every that full moon, or else Femianne would broke their contract. 

So here Slaine was, climbing the garden's stone wall outside the dress room, in that delicate dress, trying very hard not to ruin it. When she finally got through she was face to face with stretch of trees and bushes. 

_'Another garden? This place is definitely big.'_ Slaine walking around to look for the end of this garden, only with the help of the moonlight. 

......the garden was so big.... It was like a forest, but strangely she hadn't found animals yet.

...It was so silent....only the sound of wind and rustling leaves... 

....eerie..... 

.....was this place still the part of the house in Rhoden street on the Land of Music and Book? At this rate, she doubted it; she had been walking for so long... 

Now she remembered: there's a magical door that could open the door to everywhere. There's possibility that one of the door in Inaho's house led to some place near the forest... The dress room had windows that connected to this 'garden', while the corridor before was so dark and windowless, so perhaps the 'anywhere door' was that door to the dress room. And probably it's connecting the Rhoden street house to eerie forest somewhere. Slaine felt so stupid that she had just realized it now... 

....and so she was walking in this scary place she didn't know. And she couldn't find a way back to the tall cement fence--to the safety of Inaho's place. She practically was getting lost. 

She heard a roar, and then slithering sound. 

What creature was that? 

_'Calm down...calm down...calm down…'_ She tried to walk as fast as possible. But she was tripped, and fell down. 

There came a roar again, this time closer. Slaine didn't care that her dress was dirty and torn here and there. Not anymore. She ran as fast as she could. No matter how many times she had to fall or being scrapped by the branches. 

There's a heavy sliding sound behind her. It was closer and closer. Slaine looked back, hoping to see how far she was to whatever thing which had been pursuing her. 

Big mistake. 

She stumbled because of the uneven roots and fell on the slanting land, tumbling down. And before she knew it she was going free fall into the unknown darkness. 

Luckily she could grab the nearest vine of some plants and she could stop her fall. Her hands were bleeding but she tightly clung to that thorny vine while her feet were trying to find crevasse between the stone to step onto. 

She got it. 

She tried to go up but her footing gave in. Not too long the vine Slaine's holding onto was snapped. 

* * * 

Inaho opened his big secret cupboard behind the bookcase in his room, and then he took out a camera. Tonight he would do that again. 

People might call him creepy or stalker or whatever, he didn't care (as usual). He was just being honest to himself...doing things that he enjoyed. 

Just like the night before, he's going to take photos of sleeping Slaine in a dress. 

He liked Slaine. He had been since long time ago… He was first knew Slaine far before she was adopted by Count Saazbaum. It was twelve years after his 'birth'.

Have you ever heard of Pinocchio? Well, that puppet wasn't the only one. The fairy was also granted the wish of turning a doll intoa living human child for other blessed people around the world. Inaho was made 27 years ago at the Land of the Rising Sun. Just like Pinocchio, he had to overcome many tribulations to gain a 'heart'. He had travelled across countries, land and seas...in the form of living marionette--a 50cm tall marionette, together with his human father and sister. 

One day, on one of their journey, he was deceived and trapped, and sold to the circus….where he first met little Slaine there. She was around 7 years old--she'd gotten separated from her father in his scientific journey and she ended up in that place. He never heard of him looking for her. 

They had planned to run away from the circus together....and yes, they could run.... 

But Slaine was caught again, and Inaho didn't help her that time as if only he had helped her, he could have not escaped. 

He was still a doll that lacked of 'heart' back then. 

He successfully came back home to his father and sister, but... 

Years....and years......and years, he realized that he always thought of that pale blond girl--Slaine Troyard. 

......he learnt guilt. 

 

 

.......he learnt love. 

 

 

He had become flesh and bone human eight years later. His magician father had passed away, and his sister had been married. 

And he was still thinking of Slaine Troyard. 

So he continued the journey to find her--as a merchant and as an inventor. 

When he came to the Land of Music and Books, and sold Little Orange Soldiers to the Land of the Red Sand’s authorities, he finally found her. 

Slaine was strong willed, kindhearted and pretty....all that he ever remembered about her. 

But she had become the adoptive daughter of a vampire count... He was really worried of her being there just as that vampire's snack--a worry that turned into anger toward Count Saazbaum. 

And he had chosen to only see her through the lenses of his inventions, as he concluded she would be really mad at him if she knew that he was 'that marionette'. He decided it would be best to meet her through their exchange of blows that time... So long as he could see her, it's enough... 

But perhaps due to that, then things had gotten even worse. 

One day Slaine decided to let his Orange machines got through. Usually she laid many traps on the castle--she was so excellent in that--he's kinda enjoying trying to get through her traps before...But then she let them go and her vampire father was caught, and Slaine had to run away--hide for her life. 

.......more or less....he had hurt her......again. 

That's when Inaho decided he would find her and take her home. He didn't mind if she would hate him for the rest of her life--he would certainly keep her on the safest place he could afford! 

So he put an ad on his store to look for persons who could help him to find her. Still after around 100 men he had employed it was difficult to find that human daughter of the vampire. 

......until his wanted little woman came into his store, by herself, dressed as a young man, looking for a job. He knew there's possibility for that--albeit very small one; since there's rumour that she was looking for a way to free her father through money, so she desperately needed job. But still...for Inaho, seeing Slaine walked in through his front door made he believed that miracles do happen. 

And, Inaho had chosen to play safe, not telling her everything: that he was that marionette Slaine met at the circus. The feeling he had toward her all this time......and that it's impossible for her to safe Saazbaum as he had died in the prison. No one but the higher-up knew about that. His death was kept as a secret as not to angered other currently-hiding from(didn't care with)-the-world Vampire clans; he was died because of experiment for immortality held by the Red Sand. Karma surely dances...

Inaho quietly opened the door to the dress room. He looked at the rows of dresses in that moonlit room, and smirked. Had Slaine ever realized that all these dress had Inaho gathered for her? In the past, all he could do was imagining her in those costumes. Now, he really had her by his side; there's no greater joy than that. 

But soon, he found out that no one was there. 

Inaho ran out to the garden and walked along the wall, carefully looking for clue; the way Slaine behave when she was asking permission to go out was odd--now that he thought about it. She might be up to something... 

He wished she didn't go outside the wall... He had bought this place from his father's wizard friend. It was deep inside the forest of Aukhayan, and connected to the Rhoden street through an anywhere door. He could operate the system of the door, but not the wall. If only he was able to do anything to it he would programmed it not to allow a certain someone going outside. There's big snake with black mane out there! 

Inaho gritted his teeth as he saw a footprint on the soil near the base, and a bit of mud left at the top of that stone wall. 

He ran back to his room, grabbed his back and brought everything that he would need to rescue someone who got lost in a jungle. 

He decided if he found her he would be honest to her about everything!.....well, perhaps not all; it would depend on the situations. But, he's sure to tell her his feeling and make her sleeping in his room. He was not going to let her go. Never! 

* * *

_The castle was set in a blaze. The humanoid machine, Orange Soldier, marched through every corridor downstairs. The bloody bat beasts couldn't defeat them as they got no blood to be sucked. The traps around the castle had been malfunctioned._

_Slaine ran to the vampire count room at the topmost tower in the west. This place had ended. And she's going to die together with the man she hated....but nevertheless still she loved the most--her vampire father._

_When she arrived, Saazbaum was standing in front of a door made of glass. Behind it's clear lid Slaine could see enormous green field under starlit sky. It was anywhere door._

_Slaine never knew her father had that. She realized he could easily run away using that..._

_But before she thought further that vampire grabbed her arm, opened the door, whispered that he wanted great grandchildren, shoved her to the prairie and closed it. Slaine tried to open it again, pushing it, slamming at it. But, even if her hands were bleeding because of it her father refused to open that door. The last memory of him for her was his sad smile._

_The clear glass door then smashed into pieces from the other side._

Slaine jolted awake. 

Pain shot through her right leg as she tried to move. She felt her lungs burning and it was hard to breathe. It seemed the fall had cost her some broken bones... She couldn't move that much. But still, she was lucky as there was a part of that cliff which was projected, so she had landed there instead of to the unknown darkness further down there. 

She cried, but it wasn't because of the pain all over her body. 

She missed her father. 

Suddenly she heard a loud roar from above, and the sound of falling rubble. She struggled to lie face down and protect her head with her arms--luckily they were just wounded and not broken. Some stones hit her shoulders and waist. Slaine couldn't know how big they were, but their impact was painful. 

.........she wished she should have just died. 

But then she remembered her father. She gritted her teeth; she had to live to save him. 

The falling debris stopped, but the roar continued on. Whatever creature there had stopped thinking of going down to get her--but it was still waiting up there. 

What to do? 

First thing first, she had to stop her bleeding. She tore her dirty rumpled worn-out sleeves and ruffled skirt to bandage her palms and lower left arm--as best as a wounded person could.

She found some fallen branches to support her right leg, but couldn't even manage to stand. What should she do? 

The roar stopped. But Slaine couldn't make sure whether the creature was leaving or looking for another way to reach her. She must not assume she had been saved. What to do...? 

She heard the cracking sound of twigs and fallen leaves under her body. 

Well, perhaps she could make fire? Animals should be afraid of fire, and perhaps someone up there would find her. It would be difficult with her dampened-by-blood hands--she couldn't properly stop her bleeding, but she got no other choice. 

Sounds of blast were heard. Thrice. And the creature roared again. The ground shook. Slaine could feel some rubble fell on her again although not much. 

Was there someone? Or was it another creature? Slaine didn't know, but she had to try to scream for help. She took a deep breath, but before she voiced for help her chest felt burned and she coughed up blood. She lied down to calm her breath. She felt cold. She had just realized that the fallen leaves under her had been dampened by blood. 

Slaine felt extremely sleepy and tired. She closed her eyes, intending to sleep a bit...just a bit... 

"......!!!!!!!"

She heard a voice, was there someone calling? 

".....laine.........! Slaine....!!"

It's Inaho's voice. Slaine tried to wake up, but she couldn't move at all. She couldn't scream either. What should she do? 

She fought her drowsiness by trying to grab nearest twig and hit the stone on the ground with it--hoping to catch attention. Its sound wasn't loud enough. She tried to spot bigger things which she could be using. Or perhaps it would be better for her to try screaming again? 

She took air as much as as possible, but in the end she coughed, and coughed, hard. 

Then suddenly a bright orange--10cm diameter--robot landed in front of her. Lazy-looking eyes installed there were watching her in silence. Its propeller on top of it stopped, and it turned out to be in the form of stalk and leaves. 

What an _ugly_ new design; this one was far more childlike than the small humanoid-like orange-colored robot Slaine had known before, but she didn't hate it. Not at all. In fact for now she felt it was the cutest thing on this planet--just like its owner. 

No way she would say that to him, though. 

* * *

Showered by the moonlight, Inaho was carrying Slaine, bridal style. The orange robots were flying around them. He noted that his wanted woman didn't talk much. Was she asleep? 

"....Slaine Troyard?"

"Hm."

Inaho smiled, and stopped saying anything. He focused on the path. 

"....ry"

"Hm? What is it, Bat?"

"....'m sorry... I ruin your dress..."

Inaho looked at her: covered in dirt and dried blood. He had decided he would be honest....but he felt the difficulties now. "....it's... How should I say it... It's already yours."

"Haha... of course... I ve to....buy from you now....that it torn like this... "

"No. No..." He took a deep breath, _'I've been stalking you this whole time and buying those dress imagining you wearing them; so the dress was basically yours. Plus I like to secretly taking photos of you.... No. Choose other dictions!'_ ".....I give it to you. All the clothes in the dress room is yours."

"....really....?" It's hard to believe. Why? Oh, but Slaine was so drowsy now, she felt like to sleep more than asking any further question; she could ask it tomorrow, so she whispered, "Thank you...." and closed her eyes. 

A stretching silence, and then, "Bat."

"Hn?"

"........I was a marionette."

"Hn. You look like a doll...really--"

"I am sorry for leaving you at the circus back then."

".........."

"I've been looking for you, you know."

"............."

"When I found out that you're with a vampire, I was really worried."

"....................."

"And then you're missing..... It's so hard looking for you. I was a doll before. I never knew that this kind of feeling could exist--it's stertorous, painful, particularly when you're not with me........But, it's beautiful and it makes me grateful--I'm grateful to have known you, Slaine Troyard. You may not be away from me again. Never. I won't allow you. You have to marry me. Bat, are you listening?"

Slaine nodded, but she couldn't say anything as she had been silently crying. Inaho hugged her, protectively. 

It was a gentle night. Both of them were finally coming back to the place they could call home, together. 

\- end - 

 

OMAKE

Slaine: Say…how do you keep this house clean before I came?  
Inaho: *raise up the Orange robot*  
Slaine: Oh, good, it can help me clean then.  
Inaho: No.  
Slaine:…..why?  
Inaho: I like to see you cleaning.  
Slaine: *threw the orange into Inaho’s face*

Thank you very much for reading this -^_^-


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